MSU's Mike Kebler has it better than the Keebler elves

EAST LANSING -- From a public relations standpoint, few athletes have it better than the No. 2 quarterback of the Detroit Lions, the Red Wings' backup goalie or the 13th man on the Michigan State basketball team's bench.

In years past, his name was Jamie Huffman, Steve Cherry or Matt Ishbia.

This season, it's Mike Kebler.

A true freshman walk-on from neighboring Okemos, the 6-foot-3 Kebler scored the first points of his Spartan career on a sweet baseline jumper during two mop-up minutes in Wednesday's 86-49 win against Penn State.

But what makes Kebler stand out even more, and what he'll always be remembered for if he does nothing more, is that he is the bellwether of success.

When the Izzone student-cheering section starts chanting Kebler's name, just as they did with Cherry and Ishbia, it means victory is in hand. And when he gets in, the frenzy builds anew because there's a chance someone who has more in common with them than with the heavily recruited scholarship players will have a chance to score a basket in a game that will be highlighted on ESPN later than night.

But when Kebler scored, it wasn't just the Izzone that was going crazy. Teammates like Drew Neitzel and Travis Walton Gray were also dancing on the sideline.

It's always a good time, and arguably a singular newfound tradition -- at least I've never experienced boisterous clamoring for walk-ons anyplace else -- the Izzone has created and continues to nurture with pride.

"That was awesome," coach Tom Izzo said. "I was happy for Kebler, but not as happy as Drew and Travis and the other guys on the bench. You know what was fun, and you don't see it very often because most games are so tight, was seeing the bench get into it.

"We actually put some (film) clips together of our bench to show (the team) how enthusiastic they were. That means they appreciate what these guys do."

There is a chance, though, that next season, the Izzone is going to have to create another Walter Mitty because Kebler just might play himself into the playing group that will lose its best perimeter shooter when Neitzel graduates after this season.

"He was a great shooter (at Okemos High School)," Izzo said. "Mike Kebler, if he wants to really work in the off-season and get himself in shape..., he can shoot it as good as anybody we've got.

"He went from a suspect to a prospect. So we're going to look at him now and see if he keeps improving."

It's nice to be immortalized, like Huffman was for losing his shoe during the chase for the 1979 national championship, for being part of Final Four teams the way Ishbia and Cherry were.